Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has complained that federal government has always thrown state governments into trouble with labour movement whenever it increases workers’ salaries without involving the states in negotiations.
The governor registered his complain Monday in Asaba when he received members of the Senior Executive Course 36 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru at the government House in Asaba.
“The Federal Government goes into negotiations with labour leaders in Abuja without involving the states and reach agreements which are expected to be binding on all. Most states do not have the financial capacity to implement these decisions and this has led to frequent strike actions and disharmony in the affected states”, he stated.
He emphasized that oftentimes, most states do not have the financial capacity to pay allowances and wages agreed with the organised labour by the Federal Government, adding that industrial disharmony witnessed in the states could therefore be easily linked with payment of agreed wages and allowances between the Federal Government and the organised labour, as the agreements are assumed to be binding on the states even when they lack the capacity to pay.
This industrial disharmony, he argued, could be avoided if the states are allowed to be part of the negotiations with labour and pay agreed wages and allowances in line with their capacity
He called on the federal government to learn to involve state governments in negotiations of wages and allowances with the organised labour.
The Governor lauded the theme of the study which is ‘Industrial Relations, Labour Productivity and National Development’ and expressed hope that the course participants will proffer lasting solution to industrial disharmony in the country.

He said that the ‘Delta Beyond Oil’ initiative of his administration is aimed at positioning the state to be less dependent on revenue from oil and gas.
The governor said that despite that the state being is rich in oil and gas, his administration is diversifying its economy for it to be more buoyant.
Uduaghan called on the industrialists to take advantage of the friendly investment environment in Delta State, assuring that such industrialists will have quick returns on their investments.
He called for short-term courses for political office holders and politicians, even as he noted that the way NIPSS courses are structured made it difficult for politicians to benefit from.
“NIPSS should organise shorter courses that will be for one or two weeks because it will be difficult for political leaders to leave office to attend the one year course.”
Leader of the study team which comprises sixteen Nigerians from different sectors of the economy, Ambassador Adamu Abbas told the Governor that they were on a study tour of the state which seeks to proffer solutions to recurring strike actions by the organised labour.
“The Federal Government is worried with the frequency.”
He said that Nigeria needs industrial harmony for improved productivity.

Women all over the country have concluded plan to converge on the Nigerian federal capital, Abuja on Wednesday to stage a one million women march in protest against the abduction of over 200 female students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno state by members of the deadly Boko Haram,

One of the women leaders, Professor Hauwa Abdu Biu made this known yesterday at an emergency meeting convened by the first lady of Borno state, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima on the way forward for the release of the school girls.

Professor had earlier spoke on behalf of coalitions of Borno women in which they call for the release of the school girls and offer to go to the Sambisa Forest in search of the school girls.

She told the first lady that the one million march which was tagged “Free our girls” will involve women all over the country, even as she emphasized the need for them to mobilize Borno women to Abuja for the rally.

“The last time, we were in black but this time around, the colour for the Abuja rally is red. So, we should all be prepared and mobilized ourselves for the rally.”

Early, the first lady, Hajia Nana had called on the wives of the service chiefs both in the state and at the federal levels to assist in mounting pressures on their husbands to intensify efforts towards rescuing the abducted school girls.

“I want to seek this opportunity to appeal to women of security chiefs at the national and state level to run and mount pressures on your spouse’s to intensify effort to rescue our dear children however I feel it is necessary to call on all women in Borno to come up with their resolutions and harmonize them” she said

“Let us all put our differences aside irrespective of our faith, ethnic, let us all join hand together to rescue these girls, I know that we can do it, Almighty Allah is with us, he knows our intention” Hajia Nana said amidst sob”

“I am sure for now we are not on our own, I am happy to informed you that the wife of the president call me two days ago, I believe that she is also with us, let us all join hand together irrespective of political affiliations” she also said.

Most of the women who spoke at the meeting called on the Federal Government and the Security agencies to intensify efforts towards rescuing the kidnapped school girls.

They also called for prayers and fasting in Mosques and Churches so that God can torch the heart of the insurgents to release the girls and they agreed to mobilized themselves to Abuja for the rally.

Barrister Aisha Wakil who has been in the forefront of calling on the insurgents to lay down their arms and embrace dialogue cautioned against the use of force in rescuing the girls.

The meeting had in attendance wives of service chiefs in the state, nongovernmental organizations, women professional bodies, representatives of Federation of Muslims Women Associations (FOMWAN), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) among others.